National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1887-06-14


Moetlngs--Remarkabi Success Which
Has Attended tho Faithful Band.
The "Gospel wagon" is an adjunct OF the
Central Union Mission, and tho latter rep
resents the concentration OF the unselilsh
and working forces Of majority OF the
evapgelistic churches OF this city. To that
class of Christians who are for some
unknown reason termed fashionable" the
very name of Gospel wagon must bring a
cold chill Of horror to their sensitive natures,
suggestive Of robust, rowdy, and even vul
gar application OF divine lessons to unap-
preciative people, Thisimpression is the fur
thest away from q correct idea, and, to sat-
isfy himself on that point, representative
Of the REPUBLICAN accompanied this
unique means OF grace on It's travels last
Sunday.
To premise, the wagon Is huge omni-
bus, drawn by four horses, diverted from Its
usual pleasure or business traffic into min
iature temporary church, In which is placed
a small organ, and filed with volunteer
band Of enthusiastic laborers In the vine
yard OF the Lord. In the wagon on Sunday
twenty ladies and gentlemen left the mis-
sion rooms, $50 Pennsylvania avenue, and
proceeded to the corner Of Twenty.t third
and G streets, where they assisted In the
dedication OF tent devoted to missionary
work in that locality. This ceremony over,
the omnibus was headed for the Twelfth
street wharf, where, In the shade furnished
by long brick house which had evidently
weathered the storms Of many years,
congregation had gathered that was re-
markable In the extreme. Here on Sunday
II has been their wont to assemble the
river men Of the interminable grades and
classes known only to. those who have
mildly good to the violently wicked, Here,
In making his hourly rounds, the police
man had ever inspected his means Of aggres.
sive warfare, took tighter hold upon his
club and kept his eyes open with more
than usual caution. In this vicinity sew
eral persons have met death by violent
means.
reverent ones, to the service OF song and
prayer which preceded short and instruc-
tive address from Mr.. T.. ID. Bailey, a MEM
Der of the board Of directors OF the mission,
who spoke with feeling emphasis Of the
saving grace contained In the promises Of
the Bible. At the conclusion Of his re-
marks he stated that he did not come
among them to talk OF theological ques-
lions or indulge In homilies on the beauties
| Of Christian life, but had brought down
| there with him witnesses OF the power OF
| God TO save sinners and deliver men from
| the consequences Of sinful and degraded
| life. He had with him men who had been
known even in that nelghborhood as being
| exceptionally hardened, unworthy Of the
respect of their fellow men, drunken out
| casts, and some who were even more wicked
| In the eyes Of their neighbors in that they
were openly defiant Of the law OF the land.
He had a peculiar way-he mightsay way
| OF his own-of demonstrating the practical
side of Christian life, and he would put
1t before the assemblage in the shape Of a
| question to those whom he would call upon
to speak, and the question was. "Does 1t
| pay to be q Christian ~
Mr.. Bailey then called upon various men
on the pavement to come TO the wagon and
| answer that question. In number OF in
stances they prefaced their remarks with
the statement that they were not unknown
| to the congregation present. They had
been reared In the neighborhood, been raised
among them, and up TO within short time
had been drunkards, thieves, gamblers,
but that now all was changed. Where
they had neglected their families they now
had happy homes; where they had once
been drunkards they were now abstainers
where they once were vicious idlers they
were now honest and industrious laboring
men or mechanics. "Why," said one
l man, 'uOeb IL pay euouiu suy IL uiu'
have that peace Of mind that passeth all
understanding. l have friends, have Q
home, have money. Many Of you remem.
Der when l slept down yonder on the wharf
when.I was out Of the workhouse; more of
you know that was unworthy the friend
ship Of any man, and all Of you know that
the only peace Of mind l had was that
which comes from drunken sleep. II
paysl II pays! And, thanks be to God, 1!
/ naxs avery day every hOur ~
These remarks were listened to with pro
found attention, and when the time fol
closing the meeting arrived there was more
than one face that wore an anxious look,
and at call by the leader of a show Of
hands from those who were DESTROYS Of
leading the better life quite a number re
sponded and they we're invited to come tC
the mission at night and be prayed for
and above all to determine at the time tt
start out on Che correct path
Again the wagon started, this time fo
the open space at the corner Of Pennsvl
vania avenue and Seventh street, where tn,
team was stopped and In a small space O
time an audience Of fully 1000 had gath
cred, crowd that was radically differen
from the wharf assembly. Here could b.
seen the told timer" whose face is so wei
known to the night worker, the major, tn,
Judge, the disappointed offceseeker, ant
the fatuous ditto, and here and there thos,
who had once held positions Of honor AM
trust now reduced to the precarious friend
ship Of the old timer for aliving. 1t was
motley congregation, indeed. and witha
one that the earnest men and womei
labored with not In vain.
Here different method was pursued
different, however, because Of the name
and of the men. The singing, which wa
exquisite, was not such as is often heard a
street meetings, and those attracted at fra
by its novelty were held throughout by tn
eloquence and logic of the principal speake
tary title OF colonel, won with unsheathet
sword upon the field Of battle, and VIII,
came TO Washington as the friend Of mel
high In the councils Of state, at present
lawyer Of merit. He, too, told the plain
tive story Of life all but wrecked by tn
curse OF drinks of friends departed; o
reputation fast slipping away, and with bu
woke up to the full sense Of his condition
With mournful eloquence he told the stor
of his friends; without the mention OF
name he related history that is well known
II unwritten. In conclusion he depicte
his past and present, and, as an illustration
grandly said: "Behold these beautiful trees
at noon to-day. they. were swept b
the light and shade produced thereby wer
not continuous. So with the human min
that's stepped In guilt; no rest, no peace
no quietude. Observe them now. As tn
sun went to his rest behind the hills tn
wind abated and is no more; the branche
are at rest; look OF their glorious calm an
you may have faint idea of the peace tina
now possesses my soul. am at peace wit
the world. My friends have returned aud
have regained their respect and affection
Like the branches, am at rest!"
After other remarks an invitation to unit
In the work was given with quite show @
hands, and the "Gospel wagon" departe
for weeks devotion to It's usual purpose